Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Early next morning, just as the sky began to brighten, Uchiha Taiga was already packed and ready.

He changed into a clean set of clothes, one of the casual outfits Rasa had prepared for him earlier. A grey shirt and black pants made of light, comfortable fabric. He tied three sealing scrolls to his belt, checked his ninja blade and kunai one last time, and stepped out of the room.

Yugito Nii was already standing in the courtyard.

Her backpack was stuffed full of rations and water skins. Today, she wore her Kumogakure shinobi attire—a dark blue top and white flak jacket, her ninja pouch bulging at her waist, looking ready to hit the road at a moment's notice.

Uzumaki Yumiko stood under the porch, holding Karin.

She looked much better than yesterday; the bruises on her face had faded slightly, and her eyes were no longer as red and swollen. However, her posture remained somewhat timid, her body slightly hunched as if constantly on guard.

The baby in her arms, Karin, was already awake and looking around.

The infant, not even a year old, had a head of red hair and large, bright light-blue eyes that sparkled like freshly washed glass beads.

She didn't cry or fuss, simply nestling quietly in her mother's embrace, curiously observing her surroundings.

Taiga glanced at them, gave a nod, and strode toward the courtyard gate.

Yugito followed him, and Yumiko followed Yugito. The three adults and one infant left the courtyard.

The early morning in Kusagakure was quiet. The streets were mostly empty, save for a few early-rising villagers sweeping the stone paths in front of their doors. When they saw Taiga's group approaching, they were so frightened they dropped their brooms, pressing themselves flat against the walls with their heads bowed, not daring to look or move.

No one spoke, and no one stopped them.

The group passed through the main street and soon reached the village entrance.

Rasa was already waiting there.

He stood beneath a large tree, accompanied by Maki and over a dozen Sunagakure Jonin. Chiyo and Ebizo were also present, standing at the back of the formation. Ebizo was still yawning, while Chiyo's expression remained perfectly calm.

Seeing Taiga approach, Rasa nodded without a word.

Taiga nodded back.

Their exchange was as simple as it could get, but both understood each other perfectly.

Everyone was here; it was time to go.

After converging, the group didn't linger at the entrance and immediately departed the village.

Up on Kusagakure's watchtower, Nakatani Kensuke stood gripping the railing, watching the group's retreating figures.

His complexion was still poor, though noticeably better than the day before.

He hadn't slept a wink all night, constantly worrying that Uchiha Taiga might return to settle the score. The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became, rendering sleep impossible.

Now that they were actually leaving, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"They're finally gone," he muttered, his voice carrying the profound relief of a man who had just survived a disaster.

The Kusagakure shinobi standing beside him remained silent, sharing the same relieved expression.

Nakatani Kensuke said no more. He simply stood there, watching the distant figures fade away. Only when the last silhouette disappeared over the horizon did he slowly descend from the watchtower.

He had only one thought in his mind: *Never let that man set foot in Kusagakure again.*

After leaving Kusagakure, the procession continued northeast along the road.

The path was the same, but their pace was noticeably slower because Yumiko and her daughter struggled to keep up.

Yumiko hadn't fully recovered. After enduring prolonged abuse in Kusagakure, suffering from malnutrition and sleep deprivation, her physical foundation had been severely depleted. Combined with the massive shock she experienced yesterday, the fact that she could even stand and walk today was a miracle in itself.

Yet, she didn't complain of fatigue or ask to stop and rest. She just held Karin and followed Yugito step by step.

Taiga walked at the front, occasionally glancing back without saying a word.

He knew the woman was pushing herself to the limit, but he also knew that with the Uzumaki clan's vitality, this level of strain was nothing they couldn't handle.

This alone was a testament to the Uzumaki bloodline.

An ordinary person subjected to months of such treatment would have collapsed long ago.

But after just one night of rest, Yumiko could walk on her own, carry her child, and keep pace with a team of shinobi.

Such regenerative power was beyond the reach of ordinary bloodlines.

The journey continued in silence.

Over the next few days, they passed several small villages but didn't stop. Rasa wanted to press on and reach the Land of Iron as quickly as possible. The day of the Five Kage Summit was drawing near, and as the Kazekage, he couldn't afford to be late.

Taiga had no objections.

His reasoning was simple: the sooner they arrived, the sooner it would be over.

A few days later, the group reached the border of the Land of Waterfalls.

The terrain here was vastly different from the Land of Grass. It was far more mountainous and abundant in water. Waterfalls were the defining feature of the region; almost every stretch of the road offered a view of white cascades plunging down the mountainsides.

The air was humid, and the sound of rushing water echoed everywhere.

Takigakure was built behind the largest waterfall in the country.

The village entrance was highly concealed, mostly obscured by the curtain of water. Without a guide, outsiders would find it nearly impossible to locate the correct path. However, as the Kazekage, Rasa had already sent word ahead to Takigakure. By the time they arrived at the waterfall, someone was already waiting for them.

Several Takigakure shinobi stood on a rock beside the waterfall. They wore their village's flak jackets and forehead protectors, their ninja pouches bulging at their waists.

They were highly respectful, bowing upon seeing Rasa and saying, "You've had a long journey, Lord Kazekage," before leading the way.

The group bypassed the waterfall and entered Takigakure through a hidden side path.

The village wasn't large, but it was pristine.

The buildings were mostly constructed from stone, featuring pale grey walls and dark grey roofs that looked incredibly sturdy. The streets were paved with smooth stone slabs, and the shops on both sides were open, selling local specialties and ninja tools.

Just as Rasa's group entered the village, they ran into another delegation.

The group stood in the middle of the main street, wearing Iwagakure flak jackets. Their earthy yellow attire stood out starkly against the pale grey streets. There were about twenty of them, and every single one emanated a strong chakra signature.

Leading the group was a short, elderly man.

He was a full head shorter than almost everyone present, with greying hair, deep wrinkles, a large nose, and a small white goatee.

He wore grey clothing beneath an earthy yellow haori, and a bamboo hat rested on his head, bearing the kanji for "Earth" on the front.

It was obvious that this man was the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, Onoki of Both Scales.

The people behind him were no ordinary shinobi either.

Right behind Onoki stood a massive, towering man.

His facial structure bore some resemblance to the old man, but he was much younger and far more muscular.

With broad shoulders and thick arms, he stood there like a brick wall. This was the old man's son, Kitsuchi.

Beside Kitsuchi stood a man entirely encased in red armor, a dark crimson reminiscent of coagulated blood. The armor covered him completely from neck to ankle, leaving not an inch of skin exposed. He wore a face mask, revealing only his eyes.

Those eyes were cold, like two pieces of freezing stone, sweeping over the crowd with an aloof, unapproachable indifference.

Further back stood over a dozen Iwagakure Jonin, arranged in two neat rows. Their expressions were stern, and no one spoke.

Seeing the short old man, Rasa paused his steps.

His expression remained calm, but the corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a polite smile.

"I didn't expect to run into you here."

Rasa spoke first, his tone courteous but carrying the reserved dignity expected of a Kazekage.

The old man looked up at Rasa, his expression unchanging as he gave a slight nod.

"Lord Kazekage. I trust you've been well."

Onoki's voice wasn't loud, but it was powerful, belying his advanced age.

Neither spoke further, simply sizing each other up.

A subtle tension filled the air.

Taiga stood amidst the Sunagakure procession, neither pushing his way to the front nor deliberately hiding. He just stood in the crowd, hands in his pockets, looking completely relaxed.

His gaze didn't fall on Rasa or Onoki; instead, it locked onto the man encased in red armor, a spark of interest lighting up his eyes.

The chakra radiating from that man was unique—unlike that of an ordinary shinobi. It was dense and violent, as if something was churning wildly within, suppressed beneath that layer of red armor like a beast locked in a cage.

A Jinchuriki.

Taiga recognized it instantly.

He stared at the man for a few seconds.

Sensing the gaze, the man turned his head, and the eyes exposed above his mask met Taiga's.

Cold.

There was absolutely no warmth in the man's eyes, only a pure, unadulterated indifference, as if he were looking at a pebble on the side of the road.

Taiga didn't look away. Instead, he grinned.

"Are you a Jinchuriki?"

His voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet street, everyone heard it clearly.

The street instantly fell dead silent.

The man in the red armor narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting from indifferent to razor-sharp, focusing all his attention on Taiga in an instant.

The Iwagakure shinobi heard it too.

Kitsuchi turned his head, frowning at Taiga.

The Jonin in the back also shifted their gazes over—some confused, some wary, some scrutinizing.

Onoki's expression shifted.

He pulled his gaze away from Rasa and fixed it on Taiga. A sharp glint flashed through his small eyes, deepening the wrinkles on his face.

He looked Taiga up and down, from head to toe, and then back again, inspecting him twice over.

"Who are you, brat?"

His tone wasn't heavy, but the underlying warning was clear: *In this place, in front of me, the Tsuchikage, watch your mouth.*

The air in the street grew tense. The Takigakure shinobi standing nearby went on high alert, quietly taking a couple of steps back.

Taiga looked at Onoki, his grin unwavering.

"My name is Uchiha Taiga."

He paused, his gaze shifting back to the man in the red armor.

"Tell me, could you spare some of his chakra for me?"

The air in the street seemed to freeze solid.

Onoki's face changed, his heavily wrinkled visage turning incredibly grim in an instant.

He stared at Taiga, the light in his eyes shifting from sharp to deadly serious.